Key additions to solid core make baseball team dangerous in 2014

Published 11:37 am, Saturday, February 1, 2014

Photo: Wayland Baptist University Photo

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Key additions to solid core make baseball team dangerous in 2014

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Last season the Wayland Baptist baseball team had a tough start to its 2013 campaign, going 4-16 in its first 20 games. By the time the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament came around, however, the Pioneers were an entirely different squad.

The Pioneers put themselves in prime position to compete for the conference championship, splitting their first two games, including a win over No. 5 Lubbock Christian, but needed help to get into the title game. Oklahoma Baptist spoiled WBU’s run with a win over St. Gregory’s, ending the Pioneers’ season.

Now, the majority of that team returns in 2014 as the Pioneers look to make another run at a SAC championship.

With all his returners, and with the addition of a few key players, veteran head coach Brad Bass is excited about what his squad brings to the table.

“I like our team,” said Bass, about to begin his 19th season at Wayland. “I liked our team last year, and for the most part our team is back. We were just looking to add some guys to make an impact this spring, and that’s what we’ve done.”

The Pioneers return 10 pitchers and seven position players for a solid core of veteran players.

“We’re returning a good core group of guys with Jovany Padilla and Tyler Doolittle catching, Colton Palmer and Mark Davis in the outfield, and Chris Buitron and Gaby De La Cruz in the infield,” Bass said of his returning starters.

“Mark missed some time last year with an injury, but he’s playing with amazing enthusiasm and interest, which shows he has something on his mind. Colton’s back for his third year after hitting leadoff for us the past two years.”

Joining Davis and Palmer in the outfield are transfer students Damion Lovato and Josh Alexander.

“Lovato is an RBI guy who will hit in the middle of the lineup,” Bass said of his new recruit. “He’s really fast, has a huge arm and is definitely an impact guy. He’ll make a lot of noise on the success of our season.

“Josh is also another impact guy for us. He was drafted out of high school and played two years at Utah before transferring to the University of New Mexico. He hasn’t played much in the last year, but the guy can run and has a huge, huge arm with big power. He’s definitely a plus for us in the lineup.

“We have four really good outfielders, and I’m going to try and do a good job to make them feel like they’re all starting.”

In the infield, Buitron and De La Cruz return with a full year of experience under their belts. Buitron hit .314 while starting 35 games at third base last year, while De La Cruz hit .321 in 2013, anchoring first base the majority of the season.

“Chris is back for his third season after redshirting his freshman year, and Gaby, who will hit in the middle of the lineup, is back a year older and wiser as well,” Bass said.

Junior college transfer and former Coronado High School teammate of Palmer and Pioneer pitcher Paxton Bartley and Brayden Blackwell will join Buitron and De La Cruz in the infield.

“Brayden was the leadoff hitter at Coronado a couple years ago when they played for a state championship,” Bass said. “He can hit, big time. He’ll hit for average, leave the yard, move guys up and score a runner from third with less than two outs. He can handle the bat and is a very good offensive player.”

As stated earlier, Padilla and Doolittle return from 2013 to take over catching duties, as well as Lorenzo Soriano who Bass said “is older and better after improving from last year.”

With all the experience in the field, Bass is excited about his defense.

“Our defense is much improved from a year ago,” he said. “We have a mature player at every position except for shortstop, but Aaron Vallance has been amazing so far this spring. He’s been making diving plays and throwing strikes over to first. We may have to lift him up every once in a while, but I’ve been very pleased with what he’s done so far.”

On the mound, the Pioneers return an unprecedented 10 arms this spring, including ace Tom Bailey. The senior from Perth, Australia, led the team in ERA (4.35), innings pitched (70.1) and strikeouts (64) in 2013.

“Bailey has been ‘the guy’ for us the past couple years, but this year we have several guys who can be starters for us and not just eat up innings, but put up zeros,” he said.

“We’re going to err on the side of caution with our pitching to start the season. This weekend, Tom, Mason Taylor and Craig Cook will start for us, but I can’t say what the rotation will look like when we get everyone healthy and well. Those three are the most ready right now, though.

“Jose Urena will be in the loop,” the coach added. “He had a good year last season as a freshman and will do good as a starter, but he’s just not ready yet.

“Taylor Bridges is another guy who can start for us. He pitched and won the 5A state semifinal game with Colton, Paxton and Brayden at Coronado. He hasn’t thrown enough innings to be ready to start yet, but Taylor is really good and he improves our staff tremendously.”

Likely anchoring the bullpen will be Doolittle, who will see action on the mound when he’s not catching. The senior from Phoenix struck out 23 batters in just 35 innings of work last year.

“Doolittle pitched very well for us last year. It seems like when he pitched, we won. Sometimes he closed, sometimes he came in the middle of the game and finished. I had some notion of him starting this year, but with him catching and Bridges coming in this spring, we’ll use him like we did last year…if we have a chance to win get him in there.”

With an abundance of experience scattered throughout his roster, Bass is very optimistic about this season and the things his squad can accomplish.

“You put a team together to win the conference, so we’re playing to win it,” he said. “We have a good balance of speed and power in the lineup, and we have guys with a proven track record of playing on championship teams. We just need to get them all together so we can do that here.”

The Pioneers kick off their season Sunday in Victoria where they will take on Houston-Victoria in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Wayland’s first home game is Feb. 6 against University of the Southwest (Hobbs, N.M.).

NOTE: A special ceremony concerning the new infield turf will be held prior to a Feb. 21 doubleheader that starts at 2 p.m.